Gunner&#39;s shield.



L LOVAS.

GUNNERS SHIELD.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24, 1918.

Patented Jan. 7, 1919.

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JOHN LOVAS, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

GUNNERS SHIELD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. '7, 1919.

Application filed July 24, 1918. Serial No. 246,426.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN LOVAS, a subject of the King of Hungary, residing at Erie, county of Erie, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gunners Shields, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in gunners shields and particularly to types adapted for warfare.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an armor or shield which will eliectually protect the upper part of a soldier from missiles directed by an enemy.

A further object is to provide a sliding shield through which the barrel of a gun is extended so that no aperture of considerable magnitude extends through the armor,

A still further object is to provide a substantial mount for the shield and gun which may be rotated in any given direction when in operation, and which may be readily transported from place to place as may be desired.

These and other like objects are attained by the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and shown 1n the accompanying drawings, formlng a material part of thi disclosure, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a shield made in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing the head and engaging means by which a gun is secured to the mount.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially through the center line of the shield, showing the gun and mount in. side elevation.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 4 -4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken through a portion of the extreme front edge of the shield, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertlcal sectional view taken through the upper portion of the gun mount.

The device consists essentially of a pair of rectangular armor plates 10 and 11, spaced at the rear and converging toward the front point 12, where they are rmly secured together, peep holes 13 being provided in the plates.

Attached to the apex, or pomt of convcrgence of the plates, is a vertical casing 14 having an open slot 15 at its front, through which the muzzle 18 of the gun 19 projects, the same being provided with a front sight 20 as is usual. This gun projects through an opening 21, formed at the intersection of the side plates 10 and 11, and slidably arranged within the casing 14, is a bar 23 through which the barrel passes, having an opening 24 in alinement with the gun sight 20 so that the gun may be sighted in the usual manner. The bar 23 is held substantially central in its normal condition by a pair of opposed, upper and lower helically coiled springs 26, operablewithin the casing, but which permits the sliding bar 23, together with the inserted gun barrel, to be moved vertically within desirable limits. Joining the sides 10 and 11 are roof plates 27 and 28, whereby the structure is held rigidly together and which also prevents bullets or missiles from dropping vertically to the damage of the operator.

Secured interiorly of the guard plates near their intersection are brackets 30 rigidly engaged with a semi-conical, hollow, cup-like element 31, resting upon a similar reversed element 32, provided with lugs 33 at its bottom, and in whlch, pivotally engaged by the pins 34, are the legs or supports 35, provided with spurs 36 at their lower ends so as to prevent the same from slipping.

Formed interiorly of the semi-conical element 32, is a raised hub 38, bored to receive a spindle 39, extending downward from the upper element 31, so that the elements 31 and 32 may be rotated, one relatively to the other and prevented from moving laterally, the elements contacting on their juxtaposed edges. Extending centrally upward from the element 31 is a pair of lugs 40 and connected therein, by the pin 41, is a downward extending lug 42, formed with a head 43 having a flat top 44, on which are positioned engaging lugs 45, adapted to receive the barrel of the gun and hold it firmly in an engaged position.

When it is desired to operate the apparatus, the spurs 36 are positioned so as to rigidly engage with the soil or other foundation, while the soldier is positioned between the armor plates 10 and 11 below the roof 27 and 28, the gun entered underneath the hooklike lug 45 and through the openings 21 into the sliding bar 23, whereupon the gun may be maneuvered within the openin 21 and sighted through the opening 24 within the bar 23, the act of raising or depressing the tached to the point of convergence of the plates of said structure, of a tripod stand by muzzle of the gun being permitted due to the hinge pin 41 and it will be obvious that the entire upper structuremay be turned, the spindle 89 being rotatably mounted within the extending hub 88, while contact of the elements 31 and 32 maintain the upper elements of the structure in an essentially rigid position, permitting the gun to be used in the ordinary manner.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

I. A gunners shield comprising a pair of armor plates spread at the rear and attached at their converging front edges, and armor roof plates rigidly engaged with said side armor plates, said first plates having an elongated opening at their converging edges, a'casing attached over said opening, a bar slidably engaged in said casing, said bar having openings through which the barrel 01": a gun may be passed, and an opening through which the gun may be sighted, and means in said casing for holding said bar in a normally central position.

2. In a gunners shield, the combination with a triangular armor plate structure having an open base and an armor plate rooI" combined therewith and a slotted casing atwhich said armor plates are supported, a

- by the main openin in the shield by means of said bar is close apertures in said bar t1 rough which said gun may be inserted and sighted, and means formed in said stand permitting the upper portion to be rotated with relation to the lower portion.

' 3. In a gunners shield, thecombination with a pair of opposed armor plates converging at their front edges and having openings through which a gun may be insorted, of a. sectional base comprising a rotating upper element, a plurality of lugs hingedly attached to a tripod and connected to the lower base, a hub extending within the lower element of saidbase, a spindle formed with said upper element extending into said hub whereby it is rotatably engaged, a gun support head pivotally engaged with said upper element, and means on said head whereby a rifie may be secured.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

.ioHN Loviis= Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner oi Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

